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PaxEx Premium: Iridium sees a shift with NEXT constellation completion

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After nearly three billion dollars invested and eight successful launch missions the Iridium NEXT constellation is nearly complete. In just a couple weeks the final swaps will take place and the full complement of 66 NEXT satellites will be online. For Iridium the milestone brings a dramatic shift in business plans and economics. CEO Matt Desch is clear that reducing CapEx is a key near-term goal and that the company will remain focused on its niche markets, "If we can offer that service at 22-100kbps with a very small antenna that can be installed into a small drone or an automobile or a sensor in the ocean, that will expand the market tremendously. That is not a market that anyone is talking
about. We believe Iridium NEXT and Certus is best positioned to deliver on that." But he also makes clear that neither of those plans is truly absolute. Expect to see Iridium "bleed into some things" that don't truly fit the mold. Inflight services is one vertical where Certus will likely disrupt the status quo.

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Quick Connect: Citilink goes live on Inmarsat GX

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Call it one of the fastest inflight wifi deployment project in history. Inmarsat announced today that its GX Aviation product is live for customers on Citilink Indonesia. The project, spearheaded by Indonesian telecoms provider Mahata Aero Teknologi (MAT), took just six months from the signing of a contract to activation on the first aircraft.

Lounge access, booze and crew bases: Cuts galore at Norwegian

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Cost-cutting at Norwegian kicked in to high gear this month. The carrier is trimming expenses in several areas as it seeks to shore up its books. The cuts affect passengers and crew alike, demonstrating just how critical and broad the efforts are. The carrier hopes that the moves will improve profitability and reduce the cost […]

Inmarsat moving EAN to Luxembourg amidst Brexit concerns

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A critical component of Inmarsat’s European Aviation Network (EAN) is the grant of S-band spectrum from European regulators. Rather than risking the operation with Brexit the group will rehome the EAN subsidiary to Luxembourg.

PaxEx Premium: Another ThinAir Ka2517 certification in the works

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Antenna manufacturer ThinKom confirmed a second STC program currently active for its ThinAir Ka2517 kit. Although the company declined to provide any further details on which inflight connectivity provider or aircraft type is involved, some strong indicators are present, giving PaxEx.Aero confidence in naming a likely first buyer of the product. The A320 STC program...

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Norwegian launches free wifi across the Atlantic

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Free wifi will soon join low fares on Norwegian’s transatlantic flights. The carrier’s installation of inflight connectivity on its 787 Dreamliner and 737 MAX fleet is underway, some 27 months after the deal was first announced.

PaxEx Premium: Grounded in the rush for Indian inflight connectivity

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The paperwork is finally submitted: India is ready to get online in the sky. The Ministry of Communications issued the Flight and Maritime Connectivity Rules, 2018 in an official filing on 14 December 2018, codifying the rules around delivery of mobile internet services on aircraft and ships. With the new rules defined service providers and airlines can finally move forward with fitting the planes. So, who will be first??

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PaxEx Premium: Connectivity challenges in Brazil

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Uncertainty around the future of Avianca Brasil is growing as the company faces financial turmoil. Citing an inability to strike a "friendly agreement" for renegotiating aircraft leases the carrier sought protection under Brazilian bankruptcy laws this week. The move comes on the heels of lessors seeking the return of 11 aircraft for non-payment. The potential loss of aircraft is bad for the company and for its passengers, of course. It could also see a long-stalled inflight connectivity deployment finally terminated.

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Gogo claims a win in de-icing fluid battle

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Cautious but confident, Gogo issued a report this morning declaring success in mitigating the deicing fluid issues on its 2Ku inflight wifi antenna hardware. More than 2,600 potential deicing events showed zero affected aircraft so far this winter.